The Big Bang
by TheClumsyHero
Summary: Wheatley experiences his first Fourth of July even if it is unbeknownst to him. A cute one shot I did for fun.


There was a strange silence that hung within the air; Chell couldn't recall the last time Wheatley had ever remained quiet for such a long stretch of time. The pair currently found themselves laying on a blanket, eyes cast up at the quickly darkening sky. She had to admit that it was a stunning night; the previous week had been filled with sweltering days, but this one had cooled significantly. It was still warm, but not to the point it caused any kind of complaints from the man at her side. She briefly wondered if it was the beauty of the night or the situation that caused this silence; it would be no surprise if he was trying to figure out why on Earth they were laying in the middle of a field. Chell often dragged him to things or dragged things to him that surprised him-he may have simply grown used to this behavior from her. It was amusing to her, and it caused her to steal a glance at the other.

His hands laid at his side and his eyes were cast upward at the clear sky. His face was relaxed, but it seemed he was truly enjoying the view and it was enough to bring a smile to her face. Her own gaze turned back to the sky, and it was then he broke the silence.

"You know, we've never really looked at the sky like this before-or you might have, I haven't. Never realized how beautiful it was before; the stars are really bright. Beautiful, actually, now I get why people say others shine like stars; it's a real good comparison if I do say so myself. I would like to do this more, actually. It's really nice-very peaceful."

"I'm glad you think so."

"Yeah! I really do, I think it's-"

A bang interrupted the former-core and utterly shook him to the-well, core. He found himself springing upright, head turning every which way as his heart practically pounded out of his chest. Never before had he ever heard anything of the sort, but there was one sound that was terribly familiar. It brought him back there, back to when She had them both, back when the Lady had managed to outsmart the Queen again when she pulled a gun and shot. That bang was a gunshot resounding in his ears and it caused him to briefly panic and he felt his chest constrict.

Another bang filled the sky and finally his head turned to meet with the scene before him.

"What is THAT?"

Wheatley was completely awestruck; a burst of color filled the sky and disappeared just as quickly as it came. It was absolutely stunning, and was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Just as one faded another would shoot up, and with the bang came more beautiful colors and shapes; they were all different and beautiful and bright and left him completely speechless. It hadn't taken long for him to lay back and enjoy the show.

Chell enjoyed every moment of both the show and Wheatley's reaction-though she did seem to appreciate the latter more so then the former. It was such a pure experience, one that left her with a warmth in her chest. Even after his many months on the surface she could still manage to find such tiny things that would fill him with so much joy; things that brought out his innocence and really caused him to resemble a child. He was absolutely enamored with the show, as she hoped he would be, and she was overjoyed she could give him an experience such as this.

All of this was shown through a very thin smile, and a warmth in her eyes.

The show lasted for around fifteen minutes, during all of which Wheatley found himself wide-eyed and deeply focused. It ended in a bang (literally) and the sound of faint cheers surrounded them, cheers that most likely belonged to other residents of the town. Even after the lights stopped he still felt his heart soaring, and the goofy smile on his face still lingered. He finally turned to face Chell, and used his elbow to keep himself upright.

"That was amazing! I've never seen anything like it-I-wow, I'm speechless-that's saying somethin', isn't it? Really, though, wow, what were those? Why don't we do that every night?"

Chell laughed at the question, and moved to copy the other's current position.

"They're fireworks; it's the fourth of July. We do this every year on the fourth."

"Really! Do other people light them too?"

"Yeah, usually small stuff like fountains. I thought you might like these though, I figured you'd never seen any before."

"I haven't, haven't even heard of 'em before. They're amazing."

Chell paused after that, and for once the coy grin on her face didn't cause Wheatley any concern.

"Want to do some sparklers?" As she asked such she dug into her bag and pried open the small box, showing Wheatley the small firework.

"I-do I hold it?" He seemed genuinely concerned as she handed him the sparkler, and she soon pulled one out for herself as well.

She was slightly amused by how anxious he seemed and chose to light her own first to show him they were nothing to worry about. When it sprung to life he jumped but was quickly fascinated once more.

"Oh! Wow, look at that! Light mine next-please!"

"Just use mine, here."

She held it out in front of her and he carefully extended his own. After a few beats the paper caught fire and burned down until his, too, was properly lit.

"Wheatley, keep it away from me."

"Right, sorry."

He seemed somewhat lost with it in his hands at first, but quickly warmed up to the concept. He began twirling it around and writing things in the air, thoroughly amused by the little item. Chell watched him all the while, smiling, happy she could bring him such joy even if it was with something so small. It was the little things that counted, and she was glad she was able to share them with him.

"Wheatley, don't burn me."

"Right, sorry. Can we do another one?"

She sighed, but smiled all the while as she presented him with another sparkler.

"Just keep it away from me."

And with a quick light it was jumping to life; it was a routine she would grow used to and one that would keep him entertained for the rest of the night.


End file.
